Holder for signals and the like



July 18, 1950 `1'. B. owENs 2,515,793

HOLDER FOR SIGNALS AND THE LIKE Filed Mann 2o, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. BTHQMAS B. @WENS ATTORNE' Y .July 18, 1950 T. B. owENs 2,515,793

HOLDER FOR SIGNALS AND THE LIKE Filed March 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i6 i8 i7 17 J L 19 m 3 i3* 311 5 I 19 I @im 11 -1= 20 5f j a mm, ma@ w fff/ 2 22 ai 12 i 22 (a ATTO] EY Patented July 18, v1950 UNITED STATES VPATENT OFFICE 2,515,793

HOLDER FORv SIGNALS AND THE LIKE Thomas B. Owens, Cleveland, Ohio Application March 20, 1947, Serial No. 736,048

` (or. 24S- 163) Claims. l,

The invention relates to holders in the nature of supports, and particularly to a holder for danger signals such as lanterns and pots serving as warnings or caution lights at the site of road installations, repairs, and maintenance, and similar building and repair operations.

It is well known that lanterns and pots utilized for the above-mentioned purposes are frequently knocked over and rendered useless for the stated purpose, and are often stolen. A frequent and expensive consequent of the resultant lack of warning to users of thoroughfares where the danger signal should be in service is the defense of claims against those alleged to be atfault made by those who claim to be damaged byreason of the lack of warning lights. Incidental but important further disadvantages oflsuch warning lights as are now constructed and placed in roadways are that they are positioned too low to best serve their purpose, and cannot be securely positioned, or positioned in places where their secured position would be assured and where they would serve their best purpose without considerable chance of being displaced.

The instant invention is designed to largely obviate the above-mentioned disadvantages and, consequently, provide means for holding a danger signal whereby it will adequately serve the pur'- pose for which it was intended and at the same time assure the security of the signal itself.

TheV principle of the invention is described and illustrated herein by an embodiment thereof in al holder for lanterns.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain means illustrating the improvements in holders for signals and the like, the same, however, showing only one form in whichlthe principle of the invention 4may be embodied.

In said annexed drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved holder, the supporting legs therefor being shown in full lines in one position when supporting the holder in service, and, in dot-and-dash lines, in another selective position, the suggestion of a lantern positioned in the holder being also shown in dot-and-dash lines;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the several elements shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken in the planes indicated by the line 3 3, Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section, taken in the plane indicated by the line.4;4, Figure` 1, there being shown in this ligure in dot-and-dash lines a still further selective position of one of the supporting legs for the holder, suchposition being substantially midway between the relatively right angular positions indicated by the full-line and dot-and-dash showings of the supporting legs in Figures 1, 2, and 3. l

` Referring to the annexed drawings in which the same parts are shown by the same respective numbers in the several views, the improved holder is formed from the following parts: A sheet metal blank bent up into an open-sided bed-like frame whose major portion is a platform I, two depending opposed side rails I2 secured between the respective ends of the bent-up'sheet member I', a pair of opposed depending legs Ifadjustably and pivotally mounted in the ends of the bent-up sheet member I, a vpair of washers 2| mounted on horizontal portions 2i) of the depending legs I6 and serving with bent-down portions of thel platform I to form abutments for a pair of compression springs 22 serving slidably to tend to hold the supporting legs I6 in their innermost positions, relatively manually adjustable lantern clamping bodies 23 and 28 havingclamping nngers 21 and 30, and a tension spring 25 controlling the spacing between the `clamping l fingers 21 and 30.

The detail of construction, assembly, and functioning of the several elements thus generally above-mentioned is as follows: Y

A sheet metal blank is bent to form relatively right angular and' downwardly-extended anges 2 adjacent its ends and then sharply bent to form longer and substantially parallel upwardlyextended flanges 3 of its extreme ends, the portion of the blank between the ends 2-3 formingl a platform serving as the top I of the improved lantern holder. v

Before the blank is thus bent it is stamped out to form aligned circular apertures 8 in the respective anges 2 3 somewhat above the bottom of the latter and substantially midway of their length, rectangular holes Ill in the flange 3 adjacent the top of the latter and vertically aligned with the apertures 8, rectangular holes 9 in the respective ilanges 2--3 and horizontally aligned with the apertures 8 substantially midway the apertures 8 and one `end of the fianges'2-3, and rectangular inclined holes I I in the rilange 3 substantially midway the holes 9 and I0. The sheet metal blank is also stamped to form a transverse slot 6 extending from one side-of the topI to a plane somewhat spaced from the plane of the opposite side, an opposed pair 'of transverse cuts 'l being also formed adjacent one side ofthetop I and communicating with the slot 6, the material from these cuts 1 being bent downwardly and inwardly to form a pair of ears 11 whose purpose will be hereinafter described. The top I is also cut to form a pair of longitudinally-aligned square holes 5, somewhat spaced from the flanges 23, and the material therefrom is bent downwardly to form a pair of ears 51 whose purpose also will be hereinafter fully described.

To complete an upside down box-like formation of the top I and its flanges 2 and 3, depending side members I2 are provided which have inwardly bent end flanges I3 spot Welded, as indicated by I4, to the inside faces of the flanges 2. One of these side members I2 is notched at its top edge, as indicated by |21, for a purpose hereinafter fully described.

The lantern I5 is supported upon the top I of the upside-down box-like formation between spring clamping fingers 21 and 30, there being a pair of these fingers on each side upwardly projectedfrom body members 23 and 23, respectively, the body member 23 being manually adjustable relatively to the body member 28 which is xed, so that the clamps may serve for lanterns of different sizes.

The fixed clamping body member 28 is a longitudinally extending strip spot-welded, as indicated by 281, to the top I substantially centrally of one side edge of the latter and adjacent said edge and is formed with outwardly-extended horizontal divergent portions 29 from which are upwardly projected the fingers 30 having hook-like clamping upper ends 301.

The body 23 of the adjustable clamp is formed with an inwardly-extended part 231 formed with an open-ended recess 232 within which, and between the legs 23 formed thereby, is secured to the part 231 one end of a compression spring 25, the other end of the spring 25 being secured to the ltop I, the spring 25 intersecting the cross slot 6' formed in the top I. The body 23-231 slides in the notch |21 and between the ears 11 and the bottom surface of the top I. It is thus seen that the adjustable clamp body 23 may be pulled outwardly against the tension of the spring 25 to regulate the distance between the respective clamping fingers 21 and 30 for the reception and holding f lanterns l5 of different sizes, this functioning of the adjustable clamp 23 being manually effected by means of a nger piece 26 formed from and upwardly projecting from the adjustable clamp body 23.

Lanterns I are usually formed with bottom outwardly-extended peripheral beads |51, and to accommodate these beads |51 and insure the secure holding of the lantern I5, the respective clamp ngers 21 and 30 are formed adjacent their bottom ends with outwardly-extended beads 32 forming grooves 3| within which the lantern beads |51 may be accommodated.

The holder with its lantern mounted thereon is supported at a distance above the ground or from any other base engageable by the supporting end portions of a plurality of legs I6 which are so formed and can be so connected with the end flanges 2-3 of the top that they serve their purpose either when positioned vertically or horizontally or midway between these relatively right angular positions. To this end, the major portion of these supports consists of a bottom end substantial length IB constituting the base-engaging end portion, the support being formed adjacent its top with a variedly bent structure as follows. First, one end portion of this upper part of the leg is bent outwardly to form a finger piece I1, subsantially semi-circular in outline, and then bent sharply inwardly and outwardly to form a closely knit doubled formation or projection I8 which engages the upper central hole I0 in the end flange 3, full lines in the figures, the leg material then being bent downwardly to form a short vertical portion I9 located adjacently exteriorly of the flange 3, the leg material then being bent into a relatively right angular end piece 20 which is slidable through the aperture 8 in th-e end flanges 2 and 3 and then through the ear 51 depending from the top I. A washer 2| is secured to the leg part 20 adjacent its inner end, and between this washer 2| and the depending ear 51 the compression spring 22 is mounted around the leg portion 20.

As shown for purposes of illustration in the accompanying drawings, there are two of the legs I6 and they are of like formation and assembly and function, and are formed with pointed lower ends |61 for easy application to a surface in which they may be mounted.

Oftentimes, it may not be found preferable or even suitable to mount the lantern I5 with the legs I6 in a vertical position, so that provision is made for mounting the legs horizontally or in a position between horizontal and vertical positions. This is provided for by means of the rectangular hole 9 formed through the end flanges 2 and 3, and the intermediate hole formed through the end flange 3, which hole accommodates the doubled formation or projection I8 of the leg I6 similarly to the accommodation thereof by the top hole IU. The adjustment is effected, of course, by pulling the upper part of the leg out of and away from the end fianges 2 3, thus releasing the doubled leg formation I8, turning the box-like formation upon the leg portion 2|) and positioning the leg formation I8 in that flange hole giving the desired angular relation between the top and the axis of the base-engaging leg portion I6.

Sharpened lower ends |61 are shown upon the legs I6 for the purpose of mounting them upon or in a surface such as dirt, but the conditions incident to road building and other operations for which the lantern holder serves are often such that the holder cannot conveniently be mounted in dirt, In that case the holder can be maintained in position by mounting the lower ends of the legs below any weight therefor, or between any elements that will serve to maintain them in position, such as piled brick, stone, or timber thereon, or pushing them through barricades, or any other method of holding them rigid so that they may extend outwardly in a suitable direction for supporting the lantern on the top I where it will without undue chance of being knocked over or stolen serve as an eliicient danger signal.

In addition to the improved holder serving efficiently as a support for a danger signal, and with a minimum chance of its being disturbed f by traic, it is evident that the holder and signal cannot be stolen by merely opening an automobile door and reaching out and taking them, but such stealing would usually require getting out of the automobile and removing the signal from the holder or pulling the holder out of the ground or away from its mounting. These last-mentioned operations would require considerable time and probably necessarily be effected outside of the automobile which render the chances of detection quite great and no doubt would obviate most of the attempts at stealing. The holder does not interfere with the operation and maintenance of the lantern, such as lighting it, adjusting its light, or refueling it.

What I claim is:

1. A holder for signals and the like having a liat body portion formed with exterior upwardlyextended end flanges and adjacently interior comparatively shallow and substantially parallel flanges, opposed side members extending between and secured to the anges to form an upside down box-like formation, an annular series of at least three spaced holes formed through the anges at eachend of the body, an aperture formed through each flange about which the series of holes is grouped, supporting legs each having a base-engaging end portion, an opposite end portion resiliently and pivotally mounted on and beneath the flat body, biased inwardly thereof, and passed through the aperture, and an intermediate portion formed with an exterior linger piece and having a doubled-over part for selective engagement with the flange holes, and means mounted on the flat body for resiliently clamping a signal on the top thereof.

2. A holder for signals and the like having a main body, signal-retaining means supported thereby, a supporting leg having a base-engaging end portion and an opposite end portion upon which the body is pivotally mounted, the body being formed with an aperture through which the body-mounting portion of the leg slidably passes, the body having a series of spaced holes grouped about the aperture as a center, and the supporting leg being bent intermediate its ends to form a projection passable through any selected hole, the construction being such that, upon sliding the mounting portion of the leg through the aperture suliciently to release the projection from the body hole through which it is passed, the body can be turned upon its pivotal axis for registration of the projection with another body hole, thus providing various angu- 6 lar supported positions for the body relative to the axis of the leg.

3. A holder for signals and the like, characterized as in claim 2, in which the leg is springmounted and biased to hold the projection normally interiorly of a body hole.

4. A holder for signals and the like, characterized as in claim 2, in which supporting legs are provided upon opposed sides of the body, and in which the latter is formed with an aperture and a series of holes grouped thereabout for each leg.

5. A holder for signals and the like having a flat body portion formed with end flanges, opposed side members extending between and secured to the flanges to form a box-like formation, an annular series of at least three spaced holes formed through each end flange, an aperture in each flange about which the series of holes is grouped, supporting legs each having a main base-engaging end portion, an opposite end portion resiliently and pivotally mounted on the iiat body, biased inwardly thereof, and passed through the flange aperture, and an intermediate portion having a doubled-over part for selective engagement with the flange holes, and signal-retaining means for mounting a signal on the top of the iiat body.

. THOMAS B. OWENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 339,148 Chvala Apr. 6, 1866 367,175 Bachlott July 26, 1887 385,522 Pierce July 3, 1888 492,919 Gridley Mar. 7, 1893 529,953 Presnell Nov. 27, 1894 2,313,115 Allen et al Mar. 9, 1943 

